DOCSLIB.ORG

Proposal for Inclusion of the Angelshark

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Proposal for Inclusion of the Angelshark CMS Distribution: General CONVENTION ON UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.1.23 MIGRATORY 6 June 2017 SPECIES Original: English 12th MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES Manila, Philippines, 23 - 28 October 2017 Agenda Item 25.1. PROPOSAL FOR THE INCLUSION OF THE ANGELSHARK (Squatina squatina) ON APPENDIX I AND II OF THE CONVENTION Summary: The Government of Monaco has submitted the attached proposal* for the inclusion of the Angelshark (Squatina squatina) on Appendix I and II of CMS. *The geographical designations employed in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the CMS Secretariat (or the United Nations Environment Programme) concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The responsibility for the contents of the document rests exclusively with its author. UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.1.23 PROPOSAL FOR THE INCLUSION OF THE ANGELSHARK (Squatina squatina) ON THE APPENDICES OF THE CONVENTION ON THE CONSERVATION OF MIGRATORY SPECIES OF WILD ANIMALS A. PROPOSAL: Inclusion of the species Squatina squatina, Angelshark, in Appendix I and II. B. PROPONENT: Government of the Principality of Monaco C. SUPPORTING STATEMENT 1. Taxonomy 1.1 Class: Chondrichthyes, subclass Elasmobranchii 1.2 Order: Squatiniformes 1.3 Family: S quatinidae 1.4 Genus, species: Squatina squatina Linnaeus, 1758 1.5 Scientific synonyms 1.6 Common Name: English: Angelshark, common or European Angelshark, angel ray, shark ray, monkfish French: Ange de mer commun, L'angelot, Spanish: Angelote, Peje angel, tiburón angel German: Meerengel, Engelhai, Gemeiner Meerengel Italian: Angelu, Pesce angelo, Squatru cefalu, Terrezzino Portuguese: Anjo, Peixe anjo, Viola 2. Overview The Angelshark, Squatina squatina, is a medium-sized benthic coastal shark that is endemic to shelf seas in the Northeast and Eastern Central Atlantic, Mediterranean and adjacent seas. It undertakes seasonal north-south and inshore-offshore migrations, but these are poorly documented, partly due to the species’ scarcity. The Angelshark is assessed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List. Although the species was very common during the 19th and early 20th centuries, the global population has been depleted by target fisheries and, more recently, as a fisheries bycatch. The species’ last remaining stronghold is around the Canary Islands, but it is still recorded very infrequently across much of its former coastal range. Bycatch in trawl and trammel (tangle) net fisheries pose the greatest and most widespread threats to the species. Recreational angling and disturbance from dive tourism are threats at remaining aggregation sites (Barker et al. 2016). The species is legally protected in part of its range under Monaco, UK and Spanish legislation, and incidentally in some marine protected areas where trawl and net fisheries are prohibited (e.g. in Spain and Turkey). Regional EU and GFCM fisheries prohibitions and listings under regional agreements (OSPAR, HELCOM, Barcelona and Bern Conventions) should provide protection and a framework for further action. However, public and fisher awareness of the Angelshark’s threatened status and the existence of these measures is generally poor, and Range State implementation activities and compliance monitoring is often lacking. Hence, the Angelshark would significantly 2 UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.1.23 benefit from a CMS Appendix I and II listing as it would stimulate full protection from the CMS Parties whose waters cover a large part of its range. Following a listing in the CMS Appendices, the proponent will propose the Angelshark for listing in Annex I to the CMS Migratory Sharks MOU and lead work with range States and other partners to develop a Concerted Action for this species. The East Atlantic and Mediterranean Strategy for Angel Sharks, to be published by the end of May 2017 (Gordon et al. 2017 in prep), will provide a sound basis for such initiatives. 3. Migrations 3.1 Migrations (kinds of movement, distance, the cyclical and predictable nature of the migration) Squatina squatina rests on the seabed by day and is active by night. Seasonal migrations occur, at least in the northern part of its range, with animals moving north as water temperatures warm during the summer and returning south in the autumn, probably favouring coastal migration pathways (Carpenter and de Angelis 2016, Ebert and Compagno 2013; Ebert et al. 2013; Fitzmaurice et al. 2003, Wheeler et al. 1975). There are also reported to be seasonal movements from inshore areas in summer to offshore areas in winter in the north of its range. In the south of its range, in the Canary Islands, the species is observed in shallow inshore waters in winter, but moves into deeper cooler water during the summer months. The deep water surrounding the Canary Islands may be a barrier to movements to the adjacent African coast (Meyers et al. 2017). A long-term sports angler tag and recapture study reported 188 sharks recaptured from 1008 adult and sub-adult animals tagged in Ireland during the summer months (May to September) between 1970 and 2002. Significantly more male than female Angelsharks were recorded and juveniles were not reported, suggesting that females may prefer areas further offshore and that the nursery ground for this population may be elsewhere (Fitzmaurice et al. 2003). This study identified long-distance trans-boundary migrations from the Irish tagging sites to England, the West of Scotland, France and Spain – the latter a straight-line distance of 720 miles/1160 km (Fitzmaurice et al. 2003, Green 2007, Figure 1). About 80% of tagged sharks were recaptured close to the tagging sites, where maximum angling effort occurred. The maximum time at liberty between tag and recapture was 12 years, with three sharks recaptured ten years after being tagged. Reports of recaptures made away from the tagging sites were by commercial fisheriesFig 5 .and Reca pthetur elongest ( ) distr-idistancebution with trans lines o-fboundary movement f rtagom t hrecoveriese tagging are a were recorded during the winter months( (October ) on the w etost cMayoast o –f I rFigureeland fo r2) Sq. uatina squatina tagged from 1970-2002. Figure 1: Angelshark Squatina squatina migrationFig 6. Dist ributionFigure of reca p2:tu rDistributiones from June tofo SAngelsharkeptember = recaptures, October to May patterns, 1970–2006. n=190. Source Irish =Central (1970 -2002). from June to September = •, October to May = • Fisheries Board, from ICES WGEF 2007. (1970-2002), from Fitzmaurice et al. 2003. 14 3 UNEP/CMS/COP12/Doc.25.1.23 Although most tagged Angelsharks were recaptured close to their Irish tagging sites, this does not necessarily mean that they are resident. Angelsharks may be philopatric: returning to the same location each year following their seasonal migration to wintering grounds further south or in deep water. In fact, in the Canary Islands, a tagging programme using visual ID tags, recorded three individuals returning to the same areas, after being absent from these areas for 12 months (Angel Shark Project). ICES WGEF (2014) suggested that there may be a deep-water wintering site in the Irish Sea, between Wales, Ireland and England. There have been a small number of tag returns from the Gulf of Tunis, southern Mediterranean (Quignard and Capapé 1971, Capapé et al. 1990). Six of the 38 Angelsharks tagged between 1962 and 1989 were recaptured after between 12 and 231 days at liberty, 10 to 44 km away from the tagging sites. The studies described above only used visual tags. Electronic tags would be necessary to clarify residency rates and migration patterns, for example whether all or most Angelsharks move out of the tagging area in the autumn and return to this same location the following year. The scarcity of this species will make this form of research into their migratory behaviour difficult to achieve. 3.2 Proportion of the population migrating, and why that is a significant proportion Inferring from knowledge of better-studied migratory species of elasmobranch, it seems likely that most of the north-east Atlantic Angelshark population undertook the seasonal north-south and/or inshore-offshore migrations described above at some stage during their life history. Too few animals have been tagged in the southern Mediterranean to demonstrate migrations along coasts in the warmer southern part of its range, but the recent records confirmed of adults and juveniles in the Aegean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, Adriatic Sea, Sicily, Corsica, Slovenia and Malta suggest that a proportion of this transboundary population will cyclically and predictably migrate at least to some areas on a scale that may allow crossing of one or more national jurisdictional boundaries. Furthermore, because very few Mediterranean States have claimed an exclusive economic or fishing zone extending beyond their 12-mile territorial sea, the high seas area lies close to the coastline and seasonal angel shark inshore-offshore migrations will cross these jurisdictional boundaries. The Canary Islands, which only represent a very small part of the Angelshark’s historic range (Figure 3), are the last known stronghold for this species. This part of the population seems unlikely to undertake transboundary migrations, because the islands are surrounded by deep water that may form a physical barrier to Squatina movement. Although this is the only healthy sub-population known to survive, small numbers of Squatina squatina are still present, reproducing and presumably still migrating seasonally along the coasts of the British Isles and continental Europe (perhaps also West Africa). 4. Biological data (other than migration) 4.1 Distribution (current and historical) The Angelshark, Squatina squatina, was historically common and widespread in depths of <5–150m over large areas of the coastal, continental and insular shelf of the Western Baltic Sea, North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and the eastern Atlantic, from southern Norway, Sweden and the Shetland Islands to Morocco, Western Sahara and the Canary Islands (Figure 3, Ebert et al.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Fishing and Illegal Trade of the Angelshark DNA Barcoding
    Fisheries Research 206 (2018) 193–197 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Fisheries Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/fishres The fishing and illegal trade of the angelshark: DNA barcoding against T misleading identifications ⁎ Ingrid Vasconcellos Bunholia, Bruno Lopes da Silva Ferrettea,b, , Juliana Beltramin De Biasia,b, Carolina de Oliveira Magalhãesa,b, Matheus Marcos Rotundoc, Claudio Oliveirab, Fausto Forestib, Fernando Fernandes Mendonçaa a Laboratório de Genética Pesqueira e Conservação (GenPesC), Instituto do Mar (IMar), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Santos, SP, 11070-102, Brazil b Laboratório de Biologia e Genética de Peixes (LBGP), Instituto de Biociências de Botucatu (IBB), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, 18618-689, Brazil c Acervo Zoológico da Universidade Santa Cecília (AZUSC), Universidade Santa Cecília (Unisanta), Santos, SP, 11045-907, Brazil ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Handled by J Viñas Morphological identification in the field can be extremely difficult considering fragmentation of species for trade Keywords: or high similarity between congeneric species. In this context, the shark group belonging to the genus Squatina is Conservation composed of three species distributed in the southern part of the western Atlantic. These three species are Endangered species classified in the IUCN Red List as endangered, and they are currently protected under Brazilian law, which Fishing monitoring prohibits fishing and trade. Molecular genetic tools are now used for practical taxonomic identification, parti- Forensic genetics cularly in cases where morphological observation is prevented, e.g., during fish processing. Consequently, DNA fi Mislabeling identi cation barcoding was used in the present study to track potential crimes against the landing and trade of endangered species along the São Paulo coastline, in particular Squatina guggenheim (n = 75) and S.
    [Show full text]
  • Sharks in Crisis: a Call to Action for the Mediterranean
    REPORT 2019 SHARKS IN CRISIS: A CALL TO ACTION FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN WWF Sharks in the Mediterranean 2019 | 1 fp SECTION 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Written and edited by WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative / Evan Jeffries (www.swim2birds.co.uk), based on data contained in: Bartolí, A., Polti, S., Niedermüller, S.K. & García, R. 2018. Sharks in the Mediterranean: A review of the literature on the current state of scientific knowledge, conservation measures and management policies and instruments. Design by Catherine Perry (www.swim2birds.co.uk) Front cover photo: Blue shark (Prionace glauca) © Joost van Uffelen / WWF References and sources are available online at www.wwfmmi.org Published in July 2019 by WWF – World Wide Fund For Nature Any reproduction in full or in part must mention the title and credit the WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative as the copyright owner. © Text 2019 WWF. All rights reserved. Our thanks go to the following people for their invaluable comments and contributions to this report: Fabrizio Serena, Monica Barone, Adi Barash (M.E.C.O.), Ioannis Giovos (iSea), Pamela Mason (SharkLab Malta), Ali Hood (Sharktrust), Matthieu Lapinksi (AILERONS association), Sandrine Polti, Alex Bartoli, Raul Garcia, Alessandro Buzzi, Giulia Prato, Jose Luis Garcia Varas, Ayse Oruc, Danijel Kanski, Antigoni Foutsi, Théa Jacob, Sofiane Mahjoub, Sarah Fagnani, Heike Zidowitz, Philipp Kanstinger, Andy Cornish and Marco Costantini. Special acknowledgements go to WWF-Spain for funding this report. KEY CONTACTS Giuseppe Di Carlo Director WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative Email: [email protected] Simone Niedermueller Mediterranean Shark expert Email: [email protected] Stefania Campogianni Communications manager WWF Mediterranean Marine Initiative Email: [email protected] WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with more than 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries.
    [Show full text]
  • A Practical Guide to Effective Design and Management of Mpas For
    A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE REPORT EFFECTIVE DESIGN AND 2019 MANAGEMENT OF MPAs FOR SHARKS AND RAYS This project has been a collaboration between the Centre LEAD AUTHOR: for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture Cassandra L Rigby, James Cook (CSTFA) at James Cook University, Australia, and WWF. University ABOUT WWF AUTHORS: WWF is one of the largest and most experienced Colin Simpendorfer, James Cook independent conservation organizations, with over University 5 million supporters and a global network active in Andy Cornish, WWF-Hong Kong more than 100 countries. WWF´s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet´s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with HOW TO CITE THIS WORK: nature, by conserving the world´s biological diversity, Rigby, C.L., Simpfendorfer, C.A. ensuring that the use of renewable resources is and A. Cornish (2019) A Practical sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution Guide to Effective Design and and wasteful consumption. WWF works to reverse Management of MPAs for Sharks declining shark populations through Sharks: Restoring and Rays. WWF, Gland, Switzerland. the Balance, a global initiative. www.panda.org DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: sharks.panda.org Evan Jeffries, Catherine Perry – Swim2Birds Ltd ABOUT CSTFA www.swim2birds.co.uk Research within the Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture (CSTFA) focuses not only Published in May 2019 by WWF on the aquatic and aquaculture systems that produce – World Wide Fund for Nature, food, but also the industries and communities that Gland, Switzerland utilise them. Multidisciplinary collaborations between our researchers provide the synergies to address Any reproduction in full or part substantial research problems in a way that individual must mention the title and credit research groups cannot.
    [Show full text]
  • Scenario Calculations of Mercury Exposure
    VKM Report 2019:3 Scenario calculations of mercury exposure from fish and overview of species with high mercury concentrations Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment Report from the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) 2019:3 Scenario calculations of mercury exposure from fish and overview of species with high mercury concentrations Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment 05.04.2019 ISBN: 978-82-8259-319-9 ISSN: 2535-4019 Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) Po 4404 Nydalen N – 0403 Oslo Norway Phone: +47 21 62 28 00 Email: [email protected] vkm.no vkm.no/english Cover photo: Colourbox Suggested citation: VKM, Heidi Amlund, Kirsten Eline Rakkestad, Anders Ruus, Jostein Starrfelt, Jonny Beyer, Anne Lise Brantsæter, Sara Bremer, Gunnar Sundstøl Eriksen, Espen Mariussen, Ingunn Anita Samdal, Cathrine Thomsen and Helle Katrine Knutsen (2019). Scenario calculations of mercury exposure from fish and overview of species with high mercury concentrations. Opinion of the Panel on Contaminants of the Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment. VKM report 2019:3, ISBN: 978-82-8259-319-9, ISSN: 2535-4019. Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM), Oslo, Norway. Scenario calculations of mercury exposure from fish and overview of species with high mercury concentrations Preparation of the opinion The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (Vitenskapskomiteen for mat og miljø, VKM) appointed a project group to answer the request from the Norwegian Food Safety Authority. The project group consisted of three VKM-members, and three employees, including a project leader, from the VKM secretariat.
    [Show full text]
  • © Iccat, 2007
    A5 By-catch Species APPENDIX 5: BY-CATCH SPECIES A.5 By-catch species By-catch is the unintentional/incidental capture of non-target species during fishing operations. Different types of fisheries have different types and levels of by-catch, depending on the gear used, the time, area and depth fished, etc. Article IV of the Convention states: "the Commission shall be responsible for the study of the population of tuna and tuna-like fishes (the Scombriformes with the exception of Trichiuridae and Gempylidae and the genus Scomber) and such other species of fishes exploited in tuna fishing in the Convention area as are not under investigation by another international fishery organization". The following is a list of by-catch species recorded as being ever caught by any major tuna fishery in the Atlantic/Mediterranean. Note that the lists are qualitative and are not indicative of quantity or mortality. Thus, the presence of a species in the lists does not imply that it is caught in significant quantities, or that individuals that are caught necessarily die. Skates and rays Scientific names Common name Code LL GILL PS BB HARP TRAP OTHER Dasyatis centroura Roughtail stingray RDC X Dasyatis violacea Pelagic stingray PLS X X X X Manta birostris Manta ray RMB X X X Mobula hypostoma RMH X Mobula lucasana X Mobula mobular Devil ray RMM X X X X X Myliobatis aquila Common eagle ray MYL X X Pteuromylaeus bovinus Bull ray MPO X X Raja fullonica Shagreen ray RJF X Raja straeleni Spotted skate RFL X Rhinoptera spp Cownose ray X Torpedo nobiliana Torpedo
    [Show full text]
  • Florida's Fintastic Sharks and Rays Lesson and Activity Packet
    Florida's Fintastic Sharks and Rays An at-home lesson for grades 3-5 Produced by: This educational workbook was produced through the support of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program. 1 What are sharks and rays? Believe it or not, they’re a type of fish! When you think “fish,” you probably picture a trout or tuna, but fishes come in all shapes and sizes. All fishes share the following key characteristics that classify them into this group: Fishes have the simplest of vertebrate hearts with only two chambers- one atrium and one ventricle. The spine in a fish runs down the middle of its back just like ours, making fish vertebrates. All fishes have skeletons, but not all fish skeletons are made out of bones. Some fishes have skeletons made out of cartilage, just like your nose and ears. Fishes are cold-blooded. Cold-blooded animals use their environment to warm up or cool down. Fins help fish swim. Fins come in pairs, like pectoral and pelvic fins or are singular, like caudal or anal fins. Later in this packet, we will look at the different types of fins that fishes have and some of the unique ways they are used. 2 Placoid Ctenoid Ganoid Cycloid Hard protective scales cover the skin of many fish species. Scales can act as “fingerprints” to help identify some fish species. There are several different scale types found in bony fishes, including cycloid (round), ganoid (rectangular or diamond), and ctenoid (scalloped). Cartilaginous fishes have dermal denticles (Placoid) that resemble tiny teeth on their skin.
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.Population Structure of the Pacific Angel Shark (Squatina Californica) Along the Northwestern Coast of Mexico Based on T
    Ciencias Marinas ISSN: 0185-3880 [email protected] Universidad Autónoma de Baja California México Ramírez-Amaro, Sergio; Ramírez-Macías, Dení; Vázquez-Juárez, Ricardo; Flores- Ramírez, Sergio; Galván-Magaña, Felipe; Gutiérrez-Rivera, Jesús N. Population structure of the Pacific angel shark (Squatina californica) along the northwestern coast of Mexico based on the mitochondrial DNA control region Ciencias Marinas, vol. 43, núm. 1, 2017, pp. 69-80 Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Ensenada, México Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=48050568004 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative Ciencias Marinas (2017), 43(1): 69–80 http://dx.doi.org/10.7773/cm.v43i1.2692 Population structure of the Pacific angel shark (Squatina californica) along the northwestern coast of Mexico based on the mitochondrial DNA control region Estructura poblacional del tiburón ángel del Pacífico (Squatina californica) a lo largo de la costa noroccidental de México con base en la regíon control del ADN mitocondrial Sergio Ramírez-Amaro1, Dení Ramírez-Macías2, Ricardo Vázquez-Juárez3*, Sergio Flores-Ramírez4, Felipe Galván-Magaña5, Jesús N Gutiérrez-Rivera3 1 Universitat de les Illes Balears, Laboratori de Genètica, Carretera de Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122, Palma de Mallorca, Spain. 2 Tiburón Ballena México de ConCIENCIA México, Manatí 4, no. 802, colonia Esperanza III, CP 23090, La Paz, Baja California Sur, México. 3 Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, Mar Bermejo 195, colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, CP 23096, La Paz, Baja California Sur, México.
    [Show full text]
  • Status of Angelshark, Squatina Squatina (Elasmobranchii: Squatiniformes: Squatinidae) in the Sea of Marmara
    ANNALES · Ser. hist. nat. · 24 · 2014 · 1 Short scientifi c article UDK 597.315.6:591.9(262.53) Received: 2014-05-08 STATUS OF ANGELSHARK, SQUATINA SQUATINA (ELASMOBRANCHII: SQUATINIFORMES: SQUATINIDAE) IN THE SEA OF MARMARA Hakan KABASAKAL & Özgür KABASAKAL Ichthyological Research Society, Tantavi Mahallesi, Mentesoglu Caddesi, Idil Apt., No: 30, D: 4, Umraniye, TR-34764 Istanbul, Turkey E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT On 4 January 2014, a female specimen of Squatina squatina was entangled in trammel-net, at a depth of about 50 m. The specimen was 174 cm long (total length) and weighed approximately 35 kg. The recent single capture of S. squatina in the southeastern Sea of Marmara confi rms the contemporary presence of the species in this land- locked small marine region; however, the paucity of the species in the fi shing records of Marmaric fi shes since 2000, confi rms its rarity in the studied marine area. Keywords: Angelshark, Squatina squatina, Sea of Marmara, status, endangered, protection STATO DELL’ANGELO DI MARE, SQUATINA SQUATINA (ELASMOBRANCHII: SQUATINIFORMES: SQUATINIDAE), NEL MARE DI MARMARA SINTESI Il 4 gennaio 2014, una femmina di Squatina squatina è rimasta impigliata in una rete tramaglio, ad una profondità di circa 50 metri. La lunghezza totale dell’esemplare era pari a 174 cm per circa 35 kg di peso. La recente singola cattura di S. squatina nella parte sud-orientale del mare di Marmara conferma la presenza temporanea della specie in questa piccola semichiusa regione marina. Tuttavia, la scarsità di segnalazioni della specie nei registri di cattura della fauna ittica del mare di Marmara dal 2000, conferma la sua rarità nell’area marina studiata.
    [Show full text]
  • DEEP SEA LEBANON RESULTS of the 2016 EXPEDITION EXPLORING SUBMARINE CANYONS Towards Deep-Sea Conservation in Lebanon Project
    DEEP SEA LEBANON RESULTS OF THE 2016 EXPEDITION EXPLORING SUBMARINE CANYONS Towards Deep-Sea Conservation in Lebanon Project March 2018 DEEP SEA LEBANON RESULTS OF THE 2016 EXPEDITION EXPLORING SUBMARINE CANYONS Towards Deep-Sea Conservation in Lebanon Project Citation: Aguilar, R., García, S., Perry, A.L., Alvarez, H., Blanco, J., Bitar, G. 2018. 2016 Deep-sea Lebanon Expedition: Exploring Submarine Canyons. Oceana, Madrid. 94 p. DOI: 10.31230/osf.io/34cb9 Based on an official request from Lebanon’s Ministry of Environment back in 2013, Oceana has planned and carried out an expedition to survey Lebanese deep-sea canyons and escarpments. Cover: Cerianthus membranaceus © OCEANA All photos are © OCEANA Index 06 Introduction 11 Methods 16 Results 44 Areas 12 Rov surveys 16 Habitat types 44 Tarablus/Batroun 14 Infaunal surveys 16 Coralligenous habitat 44 Jounieh 14 Oceanographic and rhodolith/maërl 45 St. George beds measurements 46 Beirut 19 Sandy bottoms 15 Data analyses 46 Sayniq 15 Collaborations 20 Sandy-muddy bottoms 20 Rocky bottoms 22 Canyon heads 22 Bathyal muds 24 Species 27 Fishes 29 Crustaceans 30 Echinoderms 31 Cnidarians 36 Sponges 38 Molluscs 40 Bryozoans 40 Brachiopods 42 Tunicates 42 Annelids 42 Foraminifera 42 Algae | Deep sea Lebanon OCEANA 47 Human 50 Discussion and 68 Annex 1 85 Annex 2 impacts conclusions 68 Table A1. List of 85 Methodology for 47 Marine litter 51 Main expedition species identified assesing relative 49 Fisheries findings 84 Table A2. List conservation interest of 49 Other observations 52 Key community of threatened types and their species identified survey areas ecological importanc 84 Figure A1.
    [Show full text]
  • Angelshark (Squatina Squatina)
    12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP12) to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Angelshark (Squatina squatina) Proposed action: Inclusion on CMS Appendices I and II Proponent: Monaco Overview Shark species around the world face a wide variety of threats, including being caught as bycatch. The overexploitation of the Angelshark, Squatina squatina for its meat, skin, and liver has made studying the species very difficult. The species’ seasonal north-south and onshore-offshore migrations are poorly documented largely because of the species’ scarcity. The available data shows the population decrease has caused some local or regional extinctions over most of its range, resulting in Squatina squatina being listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List. The decrease is largely due to targeted fisheries and, more recently, being caught incidentally as bycatch. The species is only adequately protected in some parts of its range and enforcement is lacking, which is why it is necessary to list the species on Appendices I and II. 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP12) to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) Biology and Distribution range is subject to intense demersal fisheries. This species is highly vulnerable from birth onwards to bycatch in the Squatina squatina is nocturnal, swimming at night and benthic trawls, set nets and bottom longlines which usually lying buried in sediment by day with only its eyes operate through most of its range and habitat. and dorsal fins protruding. It is an ambush predator that feeds primarily on bony fishes, cephalopods, skates, Uses crustaceans and mollusks. The species is a high level trophic predator.
    [Show full text]
  • Identification Guide to the Deep-Sea Cartilaginous Fishes Of
    Identification guide to the deep–sea cartilaginous fishes of the Southeastern Atlantic Ocean FAO. 2015. Identification guide to the deep–sea cartilaginous fishes of the Southeastern Atlantic Ocean. FishFinder Programme, by Ebert, D.A. and Mostarda, E., Rome, Italy. Supervision: Merete Tandstad, Jessica Sanders (FAO, Rome) Technical editor: Edoardo Mostarda (FAO, Rome) Colour illustrations, cover and graphic design: Emanuela D’Antoni (FAO, Rome) This guide was prepared under the “FAO Deep–sea Fisheries Programme” thanks to a generous funding from the Government of Norway (Support to the implementation of the International Guidelines on the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas project) for the purpose of assisting states, institutions, the fishing industry and RFMO/As in the implementation of FAO International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High Seas. It was developed in close collaboration with the FishFinder Programme of the Marine and Inland Fisheries Branch, Fisheries Department, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The present guide covers the deep–sea Southeastern Atlantic Ocean and that portion of Southwestern Indian Ocean from 18°42’E to 30°00’E (FAO Fishing Area 47). It includes a selection of cartilaginous fish species of major, moderate and minor importance to fisheries as well as those of doubtful or potential use to fisheries. It also covers those little known species that may be of research, educational, and ecological importance. In this region, the deep–sea chondrichthyan fauna is currently represented by 50 shark, 20 batoid and 8 chimaera species. This guide includes full species accounts for 37 shark, 9 batoid and 4 chimaera species selected as being the more difficult to identify and/or commonly caught.
    [Show full text]
  • Length at Maturity of the Pacific Angel Shark (Squatina Californica) in the Artisanal Elasmobranch Fishery in the Gulf Of
    359 National Marine Fisheries Service Fishery Bulletin First U.S. Commissioner established in 1881 of Fisheries and founder NOAA of Fishery Bulletin Abstract—Median length at maturity Length at maturity of the Pacific angel was determined for Pacific angel sharks (Squatina californica) captured inciden- shark (Squatina californica) in the artisanal tally in the artisanal elasmobranch fish- ery in the Gulf of California in Mexico. elasmobranch fishery in the Gulf A total of 306 Pacific angel sharks (192 of California in Mexico females and 114 males) were analyzed. The size of the females ranged between 23 and 100 cm total length (TL), J. Fernando Márquez-Farías whereas males ranged between 25 and 99 cm TL. The maturity stages of both Email address for contact author: [email protected] females and males were determined by using the development of internal and Facultad de Ciencias del Mar external organs. The results of analysis Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa of covariance reveal a significant effect Paseo Claussen s/n of sex (P<0.001) on length at maturity. A Col. Los Pinos binary logistic regression was applied for 82000 Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico each sex to estimate the length at which half of the individuals were consid- ered mature (L50). For females, L50 was 74.41 cm TL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 72.81–76.00 cm TL), and the steep- ness coefficient (Φ) was 1.43 (95% CI: 0.84–2.42). For males, L50 was 77.82 cm The Pacific angel shark (Squatina Peninsula (BCP) in Mexico . Biological TL (95% CI: 75.66–79.97 cm TL), and californica) belongs to the family Squa- information about the Pacific angel the Φ was 3.08 (95% CI: 1.98–4.77).
    [Show full text]